Present manufacturing processes used for the design and construction of certain types of printers and copiers require the use of dedicated printed circuit boards (PCBs) for electro-optically coupling to and driving a display panel located within an adjacent surface area of the printer or copier housing. Typically, these dedicated printed circuit boards have light emitting diodes (LEDs) thereon which are mounted just beneath the display panel, and short straight light pipes are used to couple light from the LEDs to letters, numbers or symbols on the display panel.
Whereas the above prior art approach to electro-optical coupling to display panels for printers and copiers provides a cosmetically acceptable design and satisfactory electro-optical coupling between the LEDs and the display panels, the requirement for a dedicated printed circuit board for carrying the light emitting diode arrays adds significant cost and complexity to the printer and copier electronics. In addition, the dedicated PCB requirement carries with it the additional requirement for dedicated cabling for making necessary electrical connections to the LED-supporting printed circuit board. All of the above requirements add significant additional manufacturing costs to these printers and copiers in the highly price-competitive fields of this electronic instrumentation, and it is the solution to this problem of cost and complexity to which the present invention is directed.